Well pump



P 2, 1941- G, L. THOMPSON E'I'AL 2,254,554

WELL PUMP Filed April 10, 19-39 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 "A 1'! r" all! a. iver!!! INVENTORS.

Patented Sept. 2, 1941 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL PUMP George L. Thompson a? Leo A. Cejka, Avenal,-

Application April 10. i939, Serial No. 266,926

s Claims. (01. 103-240) Our invention relates to improvements in oil well pumping apparatus; More particularly our invention is operated by the use of compressed gas or other suitable fluid means. The primary object is the production. of .simple and dependable pumping means for pumping oil from deep or shallow wellsmore effectively than hereto fore, and substantially without retarding the flow of oil from theoil bearing formation into the casing'by a high liquid level or back pressure being held on the producing formation. Another object is to save injection gas consumption in the operation of the pumping apparatus and to operate the pumping apparatus without raising each slug of o'il entirely to the surface of the ground before repeating the operation, whereby the' capacity of the pump is greatly increased and the injection or lifting gas is greatly reduced. Another object is to provide an appara-' tus for pumping oil which is controlled entirely from the. surface of the ground and which does not require the use of intricate valve mecha- Still further objects are to avoid losses from.friction and thus improve the efficiency of the pumping apparatus and to eliminate the use of packers. g

' Our invention preferably employs compressed .gas or other fluid as a motivating medium by whichthe liquid in the well is forced to the surface, a suitable pump chamber being' provided below or. near the normal level of liquid in or near the bottom of the well and valve mechanism for controlling the .operation of the pump which is directed from above the surface of the well. A particularfeature of our invention is that the motivating fluid such as gas is trans ported to the bottom of the well near the work to be performed where it is applied for service with substantially no frictionllosses. Each individual charge or slug of oil or other liquid being lifted does not have to be followed to the sur- Other advantagesof our-invention will be apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a 'atic elevation showing our invention applied'to an oil well, portions thereof being broken away and the-diagram being of skeleton form; Fig. 2 is a vertical central section on a reduced scale of the reciprocating power ram which is used above the surface of the well in this plan for reciprocating the meansbywhich the controlling valves in the well are actuated, but any type of valve control may be used to operate the pump in the well; Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectionon a reduced scale of a fragment of the apparatus showing one of the controlling valve mechanisms adjacentto and above the pump chamber; Fig. dis a continuation downwardly of Fig. 3, showing the automatic check valve mechanism which is employed below the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 in the well; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;.Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4; Fig. "l is ayer'tical section of an alternative construction of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4: Fig. 8 is a cross section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7; Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on the line 8-9 of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a cross section taken on the line llll of Fig. '7, and

' Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relative positions of the slide valves by which the motivating gas is successively admitted into the.

pump chamber and whereby the pressure of the I trapped fluid at the end of each stroke in the pump chamber is equalized with the pressure of the well formation fluid to permit the formation fluid toflow freely into and fill thepump chamber.

. InFig. 1 of the drawin s. W

face by an excessive flow of gas to eliminate any chance of the liquid falling back into the well,'

I have shown diagrammatically an equipment embracing our'invention applied to an oil well. In equipment, A is the usual surface string of casing which is set in the fdrill hole andcemented into the customary cellar I2, the latter being excavated in the surface of the; ground below the derrick l3. B isa string of casing commonly referred to as the oil string, spaced freely from the inner surface of the casing. sealed at its upper end therefrom and extending downwardly into and held stationary in the bottom of the well. If any liner is used-it ismerely a continuation and a substitute'of smaller diameter replacing the bottom of. this casing. The ppper end of this casing is closed'and connected by the casingflow line or valved duct ll of what is generally termed the Christmas tree, to the trap II for separating wet casing head gas and oil that is-pumped from the well. C'is what we have chosen to term the tubing or flow line for the liquid pumped from the well which is also held stationary in'the well suspended from the Christ-' mas tree internally between flow lines I and i1 and consists of a string of sectional pipes joined endwise-together and extending downwardly to near the bottom of the well so that its lower end is submerged in the oil or other liquid to be pumpedfrom the well. The upper end of this flow line tubing is sealed by the cap I (seel ig'. 2) and connected through the Christmas tree by the'flow line I! with the trap [5. D is what we have chosen to term the gas line tubing which is composed of a string of macaroni tubing ofcomparatively small diameter, the sections thereof being Joined endwise together inthe usual manner and supported by the power piston 20. This tubing extends downwardly into the lower portion of the well and in this plan is reciprocated from above to operate pump controlling valve means in the well and in addition is employed to conduct gas or other fluid under pressure from above downwardly into the well to expel oil or other liquid from within the pump chamber to the surface above.

The gas line tubing in this plan is reciprocated byany suitable means, that shown consisting of a ram E, which is incorporated into a frame ll (see Fig. 2), said frame being mounted upon the cap 13 on thegpump tubing C. This ram has a vertical cylinder II and a piston 23, said piston serving to support the macaroni tubing D so as to raise and lower the latter as the piston reciprocates. Suitable glands II, 22 and '20 and the bushing 23' produce tight working ioints for the gas line tubing to slide through. The upper end k -of the cylinder carries the upright yoke 23 which 7 has a stationary vertical tubular gas terminal chamber 24 into which any suitable motivating fluid such as compressed gas is admitted by the fluid duct II from'any suitable source of supply such as a compressor (not shown). In actual practice we have employed'gas under as high as ,2000 pounds pressure for effectively pumping oil from a depth of over 8000 feet. The gas terminal chamber 24 allows the macaroni tubing to l9. However, any operating means can be used to reciprocate the gas line tubing if of suflicient I pressure such as water from a main line, having a constant pressure, high pressure gas from the injection gas compressor or main line, or mechanical means such as a walking beam or pumping jack, and these means of operating the control valves'in the top and bottom of the pump chamber may be changed if desired as the principal claim and advantage of this pump is the method of filling, emptying and relieving the pressure in the pump chamber proper.

Gas is compressed on the surface -to what-- 7 ever pressure is necessary to meet the depth and reciprocate freely therein and said gland ll is provided in the yoke to produce a leak-proof Joint. Theupper end of the gas line tubing opens freely into the terminal chamber 2; thus making a free movable connection.

The power cylinder and its pistomare located above-the Christmas tree and can be motivated by any'suitable means. In this plan we have employed mineral seal oil at substantially 125 pounds pressureor if the weight of the macaroni.

productivity conditions and pumped into the string of gas tubing D. This tubing as shown is coaxially arranged and reciprocates vertically in the flow. line, suitably passaged bearings 45 beingsecured in the flow line at proper intervals for supporting and guiding the tubing and allowing free circulation of liquid through the flow line. Thelower end of this tubing which pro-. jects downwardly; below the level of the liquid in the pump chamber is shut off at the bottom by the lower telescopic or slide valve F (see Fig. 4) Any suitable type of valve may be used at this location. This valve functions to successively deliver compressed gas from the'ga's line tubing tubing and the flow line tubing which forms the pump chamber. Each up stroke and each down stroke opens and closes the valve 1? respectively. The pump. chamber fills with liquid through a suction screen- 33 on the lower end of the flow line .tubing and through the pair of automatic standing check valves 34' and 35 which are coupled into the flow line tubing between the valve F and the screen 33. The valves 34 and 3! are of usual gravity type employed in ordinary well pumps excepting that the casing of the upper ball valve 33' serves to hold a passaged cylindrical disc 33 (see Fig. 6) by its joint to the lower end of the flow line tubing and that said disc has an upwardly extending solid stationary stem 31 over which the stationary ported tubing 33 of valve 1" is secured and the lower portion of the gas line tubing telescopes and reciprocates to open and close passages 33 and 39'. While valve 1''. is closed the pump chamber G fllls with oil to the normal level of oil in theliner or casing B. when the pressures or liquid levels become equalised the standing valves 34 and 33 will close autotubing is counterbalanced the pressure need only be 15 or 20 pounds. I This oil is admitted to and bled from the cylinder by two small diaphragm regulators Hand 28 through duct and controlled by the variable intermitter 23.. When desired other means for controlling the operating fluidto cause the reciprocation of the piston can. be employed, such for illustration as electrical solenoid, slide, gate, globe or rotary valves, etc. (not shown), which constitute usual means for such purposes. The mineral'seal oil is shown supplied from the receiver 30 resembling agas trap half full of on and half fullof gas which is kept replenished and up to pressure by a small automatic pressure controlled pump 3| receiving negative pressure from asmall open tank 32 into which the oil is returned from the powercylinder 4 matically by gravity. During this period it will be noted that the injection gas to be admitted is stored under full compressor discharge pressure and shut off and the valve H at the upper end of the pump chamber G is open as shown in Fig. 3 and allows fluid rushing in through the lower check valves 34 and 35 to displace the vapors and all gas in the pump chamber G out through ports 33' into the annular space between the liner B and flow line tubing C and fill the pump chamber Gcompletelywlth'liquid. .It is contemplated that any pe and any number of standing check valves may be used in place of the valves 34 and 35.

The upper control 'valve in this plan isreclprocated by the gas line tubing and is arranged to open and-clou port passages 39' through the wall of the tubing 0 by which the oil bearing formation and the annular space between the flow line tubing C and casing is' brought into communication with the pump chamber G lying between the walls of the gasline tubing and the flow line tubing. This valve H is composed of line tubing reciprocates the ports 39 are alter-' nately opened and closed; The ports 39' in the flow line tubing and the ports 39 in the ,gas line tubing D are so proportioned that the upward movement of the. gas line tubing first closes port 39"and then opens port 39. Thus the pump chamber is first sealed before the in jection gas is admitted at valve F.

An upper standing valve I is coupled to the flow line tubing at a suitable distance above the valve ports 39' and is provided with 'a sleeve 43 in which the gas'line tubing reciprocates. This particular valve hasa plurality of valve balls which 'open automaticallyby the increase of I pressure from below or the upward rush of oil or other liquid or fluid during the admission of compressed gas into the pump chamber and close automatically when the supply of gas or the upward.

movement is checked. The intermitter 29 is so timed as to hold the ram and macaroni tubing in the upper position long enough to completely empty the pump chamber during each stroke. u

Then when the macaroni tubing is lowered it remains in the lowered position long enough to allow the trapped injection gas within the pump chamber G to escape through'ports 39' and said chamber to completely refill again with liquid through valves 34 and 35. The lowering of the gas line tubing closes ports 39 of valve F (see.

Fig. 11) and then opens ports 39' of valve H, thereby relieving all pressure within the pump chamber outwardly through ports-39" into the annular space between the flow line tubing C and easing B. This relieves the injection gas whichis trapped within the pump chamber and equalizes the same with that of the oil bearing formation. Gas can be produced from the easing through the flow lines and the regulator 46 therein at all times without interrupting or impairing the operation of the pump. Any type of check valve means may be employed in place of the valve 1. The economical pressure to maintain upon the casing depends upon local conditions as this pressure is a direct back pres-. sure on the oil producing formation 'and can be lowered to whatever pressure the oil bearing sand or the compressor plantfacilities will permit without impairing the operation oftbe. pump. As before stated any suitable means may be employed to deliver a slow succession of short pul-' sating verti..al strokes to the gas line tubing. The means shown is adjustable thus permitting the operator to apply the opration of the ramaccording to the production capabilities of the well. 1

Inthe alternate construction shown in Fig. 7, the structure shown therein is intended to be substituted in place of that shown in Fig. 4. The functioning of the apparatus is substantially surrounded by an elongated enlarged duct l9 of the section of tubing 59 into which the lifting gas is admitted by the upward stroke of the gas line tubing. A gas deflector plate 52 is attached by four braces 53 to the lower end of the stationary portion of the macaroni tubing 50. The vents 5| are -to provide an escape for all gas and vapors trapped within the tubing 59 and 'duct 49' while same and pump chamber are fllling with liquid, also when the injection gas is admitted by the raising of the. macaroni tubing these vents act as jets and help aerate the liquid from that point upwardly while the main gas body is forcing all of the liquid down and out of the tubing and back up through pump chamber G as-if the valve was at the bottom. Advantages attained by this alternative construction are that a larger pump chamber capacity is provided, a shorter spacing between the controlling valves is accomplished, and the pump can be confined within a casing or liner of smaller diameter than otherwise.

An outstandingfeature of this invention is that by-the proper spacing of the valves we veritably convert the bottom portion of the tubingor oil flow line into a pump chamber that can be varied in length. By the operation of the-valves this pump chamber is actually equalized in pressure with the casing and surrounding formation and isfilled with liquid by gl'avity, displacing all of-the vapor or gas therein in one operation arid is 'repressured and emptied into the tubing or flow line above the pump chamber and on its way out of the well in the next operation. These valves may be operated by solenoid or magnetic actuating valves or any other types of valves that will accomplish the same results as though there was a piston within this pump chamber that completely empties its entire length each operation.

Another feature of our invention is the expulsion of the full capacity of the pump chamher and relief of the pressure within the pump chamber by each stroke of the pump, thus en.-

the tubing and the two valves as the weight of the same. The construction of the lower valve.

J is also the same except that the parts are enclosedby an enlargement at the upper end of the macaroni tubing for the purpose of transporting the injection gas on down to the bottom of the pump chamber. In this construction the gas line tubing D terminates and the end reciprocates in a ported stationary valve 48 which is the macaroni tubing can be counterbalanced when desired.-

Among the advantages attained by our invention are the following:

1st. It is possible to take all of the pressure oflj'the oil bearing formation or even pull a vacuum on, same without impairing the operation of the pump because the pump chamber fills by gravity or by difference in liquid level inside to outside the pump chamber thus allowing the well'to produce gas and oil or liquid at its utmost.

2nd.- Due to the arrangement of the valves each slug does not have to be followed any further than out of the .pump chamber-and after theslug has been driven out of the pump chamber the injection gas is shut off and that trapped within is mechanically bled off and equalized with the formation I pressure thus greatly reducing the quantity of repressing gas needed per barrel of liquid and speeding up the number of I slugs per hour and the capacity to approximately four times the number possible with the present single slug' intermitting gas pumps.

3rd. The pump ivm lift all of the liquid out of the average pumping well up to the capacity of the pump as fast as it, accumulates in th well.

4th. All of the gas from the well can be prolivered by the gas line, means for checking the return movement of slugs of liquid in the flow 2,254,554 V nected with said chamber for the ejection of slugs of liquid therefrom, a reciprocabls admission gas line connected with said chamber for electin liquid received from the formation upwardly through the flow line, gas valve means adapted to elect by a series of d impulses a series of slugs of liquid received from the formation upwardly in said flow line, means for equalizing the pressures in said chamber and the well producing formation after each impulse deline, means above the well for reciprocating said have "described the principles of operation of our invention together with the apparatus'which we now consider to represent thebest embodiment thereof but we desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only-illustrative and that the invention can be carried out-by other means and applied to uses otherthan those above set forth within the scope of the following claims:

We claim;

1. In well pumping apparatus, a flow tending downwardly in the well to admit liquid 'thereinto from the well formation, a gas line line a.

gas line, and means-for delivering compressed gas to said gas line. a

6. In well pumping apparatus, a flow line extending downwardly'into the liquidfrom the well formation to be pumped, a movable gas line extending downwardly in and'cooperating with the flow line to form a pump chamber below the level of liquid to be pumped, check valve means for admitting liquid from the well formation into the pump chamber. valve means controlled by the-movement of the gas line for causlhg'gas under presure to successively eject slugs of liquid from the pump chamber upwardly into the flow line, and means for preventing the return movement of the slugs of liquid in the flow line.

7. In well, pumping apparatus, a casing -extending downwardly into the oil bearing formation, a flow line extending, downwardly in said of the gas line to successively admit gas under pressure and force aseries of liquid slugs from the pump chamber upwardly in the flow line, and check valve means in the flow line for preventing the return movement of the series of slugs in the flow line.

' 2. Well pumping apparatus of the type set forth in claiml, including means controlled by the jreciprocable movement of the gas line for equalizing the pressure between the oil producin formation of theuvell and the liquid admitted into the pump chamber when the admission valve means between the gas line andwpump chamber is closed.

3. Well pumping apparatus of the type set forth in claim 1, in which the movement of the,

gas line -,is caused by a ram near the surface above the well.

4. In well pumping apparatus, a pump chamber adapted to be submerged in the liquid in the lower portion of a well, valved inlet means for admitting liquid from the well into said chamber and checking its return movement, an egress flow line extending downwardly into the well and connected with said chamber having valved means for checkingthe return flow of liquid into.

said chamber, a movable impelling fluid line extending downwardly into the well, admission valve means actuated by the movement of said impelling fluid line to successively admit fluid under pressure and impel liquid from the pump chamber upwardly in the flow line, exhaust valve means also actuated by the movement of said fluid impelling line tosuccessively open the pump.

chamber into the well formation near the end of each upward impulse of the impelling fluid in the pump chamber, and means for actuating said impelling fluid lineto cause the fuctioning of said admission and exhaust valve means.

5. In well pumping apparatus, a pump chamber submerged to receive liquid from the producingforination in the well, a' flow line concasing into the liquid from the formation to be pumped, a movably mounted ga's"line extendina downwardly in andcooperating with the flow line to assist in forming a pump chamber below the level of liquid to be pumped. check valve means for admitting liquid from the well formation into the pump chamber, valve means controlled by the movement of the gas line for admitting charges of gas under pressure below the charges of liquid admitted into the pumpchamber and forcing a series of slugs of liquid upwardly in said flowe line, valve meansforpreventing the return movement of the series of slugs of liquid into the pum'p'chamber from said flow line, and

valve means also controlled by the movement of v controlling valve means is closed, whereby liquid from the producing formation is permitted to flow freely into the pump chamber substantially without building up a high liquid level or exerting back pressure upon the well 'formation.

8. Inwell pumping apparatus, an egress flow line extending downwardlyinto the liquid to be pumped from the well formation, an, impelling fluid line also extending downwardlyinto said liquid and cooperating with said flow line to form a displacement "chamber submerged in said liquid, check valve means for permitting liquid in the well to flow lnto'the lower portion of said displacement chamber and preventing the return flow of said liquid from said chamber, admission valve means for intermittently releasing compressed fluid from the impelling fluid line into the lower portion of said chamber and forcing slugs of liquid fromv said chamber upwardly through said flow line, check valve means for preventing the return of said slugs of liquid into said chamber, exhaust valve means adapted to intermittently open said chamber into the well and equalize the pressure of'fiuid within the chamber with the pressure of l quid from tho well formation when the admission valve means is closed, said admission valve means and exhaust valve means being positively operated from the surface above the well to successively open and close.

9. In well pumping apparatus, a pump chamber submerged to' receive liquid from the liquid bearing formation in a well, a valved fluid line connected with the pump chamber having means for intermittently admitting compressed fluid into said chamber and ejecting the contents thereof, a flow line extending upwardly from the pump chamber in which a series of slugs of liquid is ejected from the pump chamber by said intermittent flow of fluid, valve means for equalizing the pressures between the pump chamber and the producing formation after each effort of the fluid, and valve means for admitting liquid from the producing formation into the pump chamber while said .pressures are equalized, the functioning of the valve means for equalizing pressures in the pump chamber and the wellproducing forma-. tion after each pulsating effort delivered by the fluid line being controlled by the mechanical .movement of the fluid line.

10. In well pumping apparatus, a pump submerged to receive liquid from the liquid bearing formation in a well, a valvedfluid line connected with the pump chamber havingmeans for intermittently admitting. compressed fluid .into said chamber while the pressures are,equalized, the

functioning of the valve means for equalizing the pressures in the pump chamber and the well producing formation after each pulsating effort delivered by the fluid line being controlled-by the reciprocable movement of the fluid line.

11. In well pumping apparatus, a pump chamber adapted to receive liquid from the liquid bearing formation in a well, a reciprocable gas line connected with the pump chamber, valve means for admitting compressed fluid from the gas line into the pump chamber to eject the liquid contents of the chambena flow line extending upwardly from the pump chamber in which a series pump chamber, a flow line extending upwardly from the pump chamber in which a pulsating stream of liquid is adapted to be ejected from the pump chamber by the action of the compressed gas, valved means controlled by" the movement of the gas line and opening into the liquid bearing formation for equalizing the diiferential pres--' sure between the pump chamberand the producing formation, valve intake meanspermitting the flow of liquid from the producing formation into the pump chamber while said pressures are equalized and checking return flow into the formation, and valve means forchecking return tents of said chamber, a flow line extending upwardly from the pump chamber in which a series of slugs of liquid is ejected upwardly from the pump chamber by said flow of gas, valve means controlledby the reciprocable movement of the gas line for equalizing the differential pressure between the pump chamber and the producing formation after each effort of the gas, and check valve means for admitting liquid from the producing formation freely into the pump chamber while said pressures are equalized.

14. In well pumping apparatus, a pump chamber adapted to be submerged to receive liquid from the producing forniation in a well, a, flow line connected with said chamber for conducting from the producing formation into the pump of slugs of liquid is adapted to be ejected from 5 the pump chamber by the compressed fluid, ad-

mission valve means freely movable in response to pressure conditions in the pump chamber and well for admitting liquid from the well into the pump chamber and checking return movement thereof, and means controlled by the reciprocable movement of the gas line for equalizing the differential pressure between the pump chamber and the liquid producing formation near the end of each lifting effort of the compressed fluid, whereby liquid from the liquid bearing formation may flow freely into the pump chamber. through the admission valve means.

12. In well pumping apparatus, a pump chamber submerged to receive liquid from the liquid bearing formation in a well, a reciprocable-gas 7 of the compressed gas intermittently into the slugs of liquid therefrom, a reciprocable gas'line connected with said chamber for projecting liquid upwardly therefrom, a valve operable by the strokes of the gas line for admitting pressure fluid to the pump chamber and controlling the flow of gastherethrough to successively eject a series of slugs of liquid received from the formation into said chamber upwardly in said flow line, an exhaust valve for equalizing the differential pressure between said chamber and the producing formation after each stroke to permit said cham- .berfllling freely with liquid from the producing formation, and means operable in synchronism with the functioning of a said valves for preventing the return movement of the slugs of liquid in the flow line.

15. In well pumping apparatus, a pump cham ber submerged to receive'a series of small solid slugs of liquid consecutively from the producing a formation in a well, a flow line connected with said chamber for the eduction of the series of slugs of .liquid therefrom, a reciprocableadmission gas line connected, with said chamber for propelling the slugs of liquid received from the formation upwardly through the flow line, admission valve means controlled by the movement of the gas line for admitting gas consecutively in short pulsations into the pump chamber to eject ,the series of short slugs of liquid received from the formation upwardly in'said flow line, means operable in synchronism with the movement of the gas line for equalizing the differential pressure between said chamber and the producing formation after each pulsation of gas, and means for preventing return movement of the series of slugs of liquid from the flow line into the pump chamber.

- 16. In Wall pumping apparatus, an outer casing adapted to extend downwardly into liquid in the well formation to be pumped, aflow line within said casing, a gas line movable in and cooperatins-with said flow line to form a pump chamber, check valve means controlling the admission oi liquid from the well i'ormationinto the lower portion 01' th-- pump chamber, valve means controlled by the movement of the gee line for admitting compressedgas from the gas line into the pump chamber against each charge oi liquidpreviously admitted, whereby the well formation mation at the end of each impulse oi the lifting.

gas admitted into the pump chamber. I

GEORGE L. momson. LEO A, CEJKA. 

